What is a marked deck? Indeed, magicians and mentors sometimes use marked decks. The marked deck is a deck with a secret mark on the back of the card. You can check the value and the suit on the other side by looking at the end of the card.
How does the marked deck work?
There are two main types of tagged decks on the market: reader system and encoding system. The decks marked with the reading system are what you expect. It’s hidden somewhere in the later design, and if you look at it, it tells you what the card is
With these decks, your job is to “read” the back of the card and instantly identify it. The decks marked in the coded system are based on the use of other codes or clues that indicate the value and suit of the card. For example, a disguised watch face on the back of a card may have a card number dot.
An easy way to tell if a deck is a marked deck is to “take it to the movie” or do a “rifle test.” This is what you see when you make a design change by flipping the entire deck with your thumbs or fingers and looking closely at them. Depending on the marking system used, some marked covers are clearer than others.
When should we use a marked deck?
Now that you know the marked decks don’t assume that all magic cards are based on “marked decks” or other “cheat decks.” Most of the card tricks are done in regular decks, on any deck. Most of the magic of cards is based on pure hand play, the ability to handle tickets, and the right amount of wrong direction and showmanship. However, just as a mechanic has a toolbox with various tools, marked mallets can be just the tool the wizard needs. It can certainly be used to perform “miracles” that cannot be done with ordinary decks.
When should you not use a marked deck?
Don’t even consider using decks marked for card games, especially when playing with money. Here’s a warning for wise people: If you’re cheating, social games are ruined, you only ruin the experience for yourself and others. It’s even worse to do it in a gambling game. Because it’s a form of theft, and you’ll eventually catch up and get caught, for using card magic.
Learn more here about the marked deck.
